One of the most curious aspects of the Richie Incognito-Jonathan Martin story is how race has become very much a part of it outside the Dolphins locker room -- in the media and among fans and observers -- but not at all so far within the Dolphins locker room.

Think of this:

Richie Incognito left Jonathan Martin a voice mail that, among other things, called Martin a "half-n----r." And Dolphins players of color, knowing of the voicemail, have expressed no problems with Incognito.

Well, I've spoken to multiple people today about this and the explanation from all of them is that in the Dolphins locker room, Richie Incognito was considered a black guy. He was accepted by the black players. He was an honorary black man.

And Jonathan Martin, who is bi-racial, was not. Indeed, Martin was considered less black than Incognito.

"Richie is honarary," one player who left the Dolphins this offseason told me today. "I don't expect you to understand because you're not black. But being a black guy, being a brother is more than just about skin color. It's about how you carry yourself. How you play. Where you come from. What you've experienced. A lot of things."

Incognito has been supported publicly by many of his teammates, black and white. Center Mike Pouncey, who is black, lines up next to Incognito on the field and is a friend off the field.

“Pouncey and Incognito, they talk to each other that way — redneck, (n-word), it doesn’t bother the two of them. It’s how they communicate,” the source said. “They bond with one another and they were trying to bring Jonathan in the circle.” ...

Carter said he spoke with Pouncey, who told Carter that Martin considered quitting football his rookie season and that Pouncey tried to help him.

According to Carter, Pouncey said Martin, at times, wondered whether he was “cut out” to play in the NFL.

Carter said Pouncey told him no players consider Incognito a racist. He said Pouncey and the team’s six-member Leadership Council didn’t know about Incognito’s alleged voicemail for Martin prior to it being made public recently.

Here what Carter said Pouncey told him as far as the players' feelings toward Incognito:

"They don't feel as if he's a racist, they don't feel as if he picked on Jonathan repeatedly and bullied him, but if they could do it all over again there would be situations that they might change but they’re very, very comfortable with Richie,” Carter said.

“They think it’s sad, not only that Jonathan’s not on the football team, but also that Richie is being depicted as a bigot and as a racist.”

Carter, who said he’s known Pouncey since Pouncey was 15 years old, said Dolphins players don’t feel Incognito is getting a “fair defense” in this situation.

One of the most curious aspects of the Richie Incognito-Jonathan Martin story is how race has become very much a part of it outside the Dolphins locker room -- in the media and among fans and observers -- but not at all so far within the Dolphins locker room.

Think of this:

Richie Incognito left Jonathan Martin a voice mail that, among other things, called Martin a "half-n----r." And Dolphins players of color, knowing of the voicemail, have expressed no problems with Incognito.

Well, I've spoken to multiple people today about this and the explanation from all of them is that in the Dolphins locker room, Richie Incognito was considered a black guy. He was accepted by the black players. He was an honorary black man.

And Jonathan Martin, who is bi-racial, was not. Indeed, Martin was considered less black than Incognito.

"Richie is honarary," one player who left the Dolphins this offseason told me today. "I don't expect you to understand because you're not black. But being a black guy, being a brother is more than just about skin color. It's about how you carry yourself. How you play. Where you come from. What you've experienced. A lot of things."

I tried to say this the other day. Friends, really good friends, take the filters off. Most of the time its fun and games but there's times when somebody isn't up to it and a fight breaks out. That's the story here. Nothing more, nothing less.

I really think that the N word has lost its meaning and importance, and that people over the age of 30 have a hard time accepting this. Young people do not place a whole lot of stock in this word anymore.